He Paid It All!
What does your life "proclaim" to the world? What image do your actions and words project onto those around you? Is Christ your constant companion in life or do you take Him with you only when it is "convenient?" That is not a true relationship with Jesus Christ nor does He ever operate as a "part-time Saviour." You must give ALL of yourself to Him. The Bible says "in ALL your ways you must acknowledge Him" (Proverbs 3:6). Scripture teaches that we are to be "in the world" but not "of the world." People often ask "How can such possibly be accomplished?" The truth is, it can not be accomplished - on our own. It is an impossible task without the Holy Spirit. But if we maintain our faith in the Cross there is the constant pull of the Holy Spirit toward Righteousness. Sadly, many in our world have opted to live the life of continual sin because it is an easy one, no conscience is required, there are no morals or principles to get in the way, and the only three people in all the world that you ever need to be concerned about are me, myself, and I. Many have chosen this path but the price of your outstanding bill which you must pay at the end of it all is immense. Of this type of person Jesus said "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his Wickedness" (Psalm 52:7). On the other hand it must be said that - Yes - to live the Christian life is an on-going battle. Jesus Himself said it would be so. He said that it would be a hard road to travel. We must resist all temptation, we must live by the Bible’s moral and ethical code, and those we are to be concerned for include every man and woman on the face of the planet. BUT - we no longer have an outstanding bill, because across the front of the bill in Jesus’ own blood is written...."PAID IN FULL." Praise God! Jesus says of this person that they are an "heir to the kingdom of God."
Jesus’ prayer for His Church, and for us as we live in the midst of a sin-filled world is that we be "holy." But only God is holy. So what did Jesus mean when He prayed that we be made holy? I believe that to be holy means that we are to be different by virtue of belonging to God. Our wills, our intentions, absolutely everything about us must be completely devoted to God. Our life in its entirety must be a mirror image of Jesus Christ and be marked with the seal of consecration. In the same way that Jesus left the glory of His throne in Heaven and renounced every heavenly claim that was His in order to serve His Father here on earth and provide man’s only means of redemption we, too, must completely renounce or deny "self" and have this same totality of "belonging to God." When He remains at the very center of our lives then that life proclaims God to the world, and we can live each day with the glorious knowledge that we are "debt free" as the result of Jesus paying a debt that He did not owe because you and I owed a debt that we could never possibly pay. He paid it all and when you, by fath, accept Him into your heart as your personal Lord and Saviour then you are Debt Free - through Jesus Christ!
God bless you.
Mark Shutts
